Things to do in Cedar Key, from hosts who get asked every week.
Walkable restaurants, boat ramps, sunset spots, charters, refuges, and practical tips, updated from guest questions and local recommendations. Our building at 634 6th Street is about a 10-minute walk to Dock Street, the boat ramp, and the fishing pier.
About Cedar Key right now. Cedar Key was hit by Hurricane Idalia (Aug 2023), a Dock Street fire (Sept 2024), and Hurricane Helene (Sept 2024). Most of the island is open and welcoming guests. A few Dock Street favorites are still rebuilding, and 2nd Street has become the everyday center of town while that happens. Hurricane Isaias passed well to the west in October 2026 with no significant impact here.
Last verified October 30, 2026. Island businesses keep seasonal hours and things change after storms, so tap through and confirm before you go. If something here is out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.
The walk-to list
Most of what guests come here for is a 5 to 15 minute walk from the front door. This is why so many of our reviews say "we parked the car and never got back in it."
Eat & drink
We don't list hours on purpose; they change with the season. Each name links to the business so you can check the day you're going.
- Annie's Cafe Classic Florida diner breakfast and lunch, directly across 6th Street from us. Closed some weekdays; check before you go.
- Steamers Clam Bar & Grill new location Rebuilt on 2nd Street after the 2024 fire took the Dock Street building. Same buckets of steamed clams. 434 2nd St.
- 2nd Street Cafe Reopened after renovations in 2026; shares the building with Steamers. 2nd St.
- 1842 Daily Grind & Mercantile Coffee, light breakfast, small mercantile. 598 2nd St.
- Cedar Key Island Bakery Open a few days a week; Cedar Key lime baked goods. Check days before you go.
- Island Hotel & Restaurant Dining room in the 1859 Island Hotel, the oldest building in town. 373 2nd St.
- Fishbonz on Third Casual seafood on 3rd Street.
- The Tipsy Cow Bar & Grill Bar food, casual.
- Low-Key Hideaway Tiki Bar Live music every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, year-round. Just outside town on SR-24. 12050 SR-24.
In case you've been here before: Big Deck Raw Bar (rebuilding), 83 West / 29 North (rebuilding), Tony's Seafood Restaurant (closed), Frog's Landing (closed). Closed since Helene. The famous clam chowder (three-time international cook-off winner) is still sold frozen at Publix.
Walk-to landmarks
- Dock StreetThe strolling, sunset, and dining street. About a 10-minute walk. Still rebuilding piece by piece after the 2024 fire and storms; the view is the same as it ever was.
- 2nd StreetWhere most of the restaurants and shops are while Dock Street rebuilds. About 8 minutes.
- Cedar Key Public Boat RampAbout 12 minutes on foot. Free vehicle parking, paid for trailers.
- Cedar Key Fishing PierSouth end of the island, 12 to 15 minutes on foot. Free, public.
- Cemetery Point Park boardwalkA 0.4-mile boardwalk loop over salt marsh. Herons, spoonbills (often mistaken for flamingos), the occasional alligator off in the distance.
- Cedar Key Historical Society MuseumPencil and brush mill history, hurricane recovery, clam farming. 4.5 on TripAdvisor.
- Cedar Key Welcome CenterWorth a stop on day one.
- City Park beachSmall public beach, dock-and-marsh feel rather than white sand. Good for kids and sunset.
Boats, charters, kayaks
Cedar Key is a working waterfront. Most guests do at least one thing on the water.
Boat tours
- Tidewater ToursIsland and sunset cruises, island taxi to Atsena Otie. 302 Dock St. Book ahead.
- Cedar Key Boat Rentals & Island ToursCapt Joe Slaughter. Rentals, manatee tours in winter, island hops, sunset cruises.
- Suwannee Sunshine River ToursGuided tours of the lower Suwannee River, about 30 minutes north.
Fishing charters
- Hookin It Charters & ToursCapt Jayson Porter. Inshore, scalloping in season.
- In The Slot FishingCapt Jason Clark. Inshore. (352) 639-3209.
- A J Brown ChartersCapt Danny Morgan. Inshore.
We don't take referral fees from any charter. These are the operators we'd put our own family on. More on the Fishing page.
DIY on the water
- Atsena Otie KeyKayak about 0.6 miles from the city marina to the original Cedar Key, abandoned after the 1896 hurricane. Pencil mill ruins and a cemetery.
- ScallopingLevy County zone, July 1 to September 24. About 12 minutes to the boat ramp.
- Cedar Key Fishing PierFree, no charter. Sheepshead, mangrove snapper, occasional redfish and black drum.
Day trips out of town
Cedar Key is small. The bigger nature is just outside.
Wildlife refuges
- Cedar Keys National Wildlife RefugeA 13-island refuge offshore; TripAdvisor's top-rated thing to do here. Reach Atsena Otie or Snake Key by boat or kayak. Seahorse Key is closed to landings most of the year for nesting birds.
- Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge9-mile loop, drivable or hikeable. Turtles and alligators in the canals. 15 minutes north.
- Manatee Springs State ParkAbout 30 minutes north. Manatees in winter, swimming and kayaking the rest of the year.
History & oddities
- Shell MoundAn indigenous shell midden built up over centuries, and an incredible sunset spot over the marsh. 15 minutes north. Free, walkable, surreal.
- Cedar Key Museum State ParkPencil and brush mill history. The Historical Society Museum downtown covers the same ground with better artifacts if you have to pick one.
- Railroad Trestle Nature Trail0.6-mile boardwalk on the old rail bed.
The clams
- Southern Cross Sea FarmsCedar Key produces a huge share of US farmed clams. The tour rewires how you think about them.
If you're coming for a specific weekend
Lodging fills 2 to 6 months ahead for the big ones.
- Third weekend of October Cedar Key Seafood Festival The biggest weekend of the year. Lodging sells out about 6 months ahead.
- Halloween weekend Cedar Key Pirate Fest Three days of pirate reenactors, parades, and a downtown that sells out.
- Mid-April Cedar Key Lions Arts & Crafts Festival Smaller and easier to book around than the Seafood Festival.
- July 1 to September 24 Bay scallop season Levy County zone. See the Scalloping page.
- Fri, Sat, Sun Live music at Low-Key HideawayTiki bar on SR-24 just outside town. Live music every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, year-round.
What to know before you come
One way in, one way out. Highway 24 dead-ends in Cedar Key. One way in, one way out.
No chain restaurants or hotels. The community fought to keep them out.
Groceries: Cedar Key has not had a full grocery store since Hurricane Helene destroyed the Cedar Key Market in September 2024. The city is still working on bringing one back. Plan to stock up before you arrive. Walmart Supercenter, Chiefland: Full grocery. About 40 minutes east on SR-24. Dollar General: Basics only. On SR-24 a few miles before you reach the island. Cedar Key farmers market: Twice a month on the island; produce, baked goods, local vendors. Check the Cedar Key Chamber calendar for dates.
Mobile coverage: Verizon and AT&T are solid downtown. T-Mobile is spotty.
Bug pressure: No-see-ums hit at dusk April through October. Picaridin works better than DEET on them. Bring your own; we don't stock repellent.
Closest hospital: TGH Crystal River. Formerly Bayfront Health Seven Rivers (rebranded to Tampa General in late 2023). About 45 minutes south. UF Health Shands, Gainesville: Level-1 trauma center. About 75 minutes northeast.
Golf carts: Cedar Key is golf-cart-friendly; most guests rent one. Cedar Key Adventures (331 Dock St, (727) 410-2112) is the most consistently recommended local rental shop. Also Cedar Key Golf Cart Tours. Day rates run roughly $80 to $150 depending on cart size and season. Our building has an exterior outlet you can use to charge a cart.
Bikes: bring your own. There is a railing at the property you can lock to.
Wi-Fi: high-speed Wi-Fi in every unit, included.
Boat trailer parking: by request only. We can accommodate up to 2 boats and trailers in our overflow lot two doors down. Mention your trailer setup when you book and we'll confirm space for your dates.
What people did when they were here
Pulled from Airbnb and Vrbo reviews.
Very nice unit that is walking distance to everything you need. Very quiet and laid-back. Short walk to downtown shops, restaurants, and beautiful Gulf sunsets! Lauren and Aric were very responsive at check-in to solve an inoperable AC issue and quickly upgraded us to another unit with a water view and porch swing where we spent a lot of time relaxing and enjoying the view and cooling breeze. Definitely recommend this accommodation.
Nice place to stay, walkig distance to old town , there’s a small local restaurant across the Street called Annie’s caffe you can eat fresh food there for breakfast and lunch highly recmmended. We will definitely stay again.
we booked this location last minute and the host was very responsive. great local restaurant right across the street with a very friendly staff. walking distance to waterfront area. would definitely stay here again.
Blue Heron is the perfect place for a quiet getaway. It has a great location on Cedar Key which makes everything walkable. The place itself is nice and has a great front porch. Definitely stop by Annie's across the street for breakfast.
Awesome location very close to boat ramp as we were fishing in the area. Lots of good restaurants around and even an I’ve machine within walking distance.
Such a great, quaint little spot!!! Within walking distance to the restaurants and dock street. Enjoyed our stay very much! Everything was spotless clean !
Reviews are from verified stays on Airbnb and Vrbo, shown here as written.